Somnath Jyotirling: The Shrine of Divinity | History | Significance | Puja Rituals and Festivals
Somnath temple is said to be the first among the 12 holy Jyotirlingas. The word Somnath translates to ‘The Lord of the Moon‘, a form of Lord Shiva. Therefore, it is evident that the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva himself. The Somnath temple is believed to be situated where Lord Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light.
It is now known to be one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Mention of this temple can be found in different ancient scriptures like Shreemad Bhagavat Gita, Skandpuran, Shivpuran, and Rig-Veda. However, it was referred to as the “Prabhasa-Pattana” back then. This proves the spiritual significance the temple has held from the ancient days.
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Temple History:
The temple is located on the ancient Triveni Sangam where the three rivers — Kapila, Hiran, and Saraswati combine. The temple had to be rebuilt several times because it was destroyed as much as seventeen times by emperors like Mahmud Ghazni, Alauddin Khilji, and Aurangzeb.
Legends state that the first temple was built by Somraj (the moon god) and it was made of gold; this was rebuilt by Ravana in silver, by Krishna in wood, and by Bhimdev in stone. The story about the origin of the Jyortirling is also mentioned in the legend.
It states that the Moon God was married to 27 of King Daksha’s daughters but he was partial to one. This caused his other wives to become jealous and complain to their father. Daksha put a curse on Soma which would cause him to wane. In order to get rid of this curse, Soma constructed a Shivlinga and prayed to Lord Shiva for forgiveness. Lord Shiva helped him but the curse was not completely removed. This is what caused the periodic waning of the moon.
Religious Significance:
The Somnath temple is known to be the first Jyotirlinga among all of the 12 Jyotirlingas in Hindu mythology. It is said that Lord Shiva appeared as a fiery column, making the Shiva Lingam a Swayambhu. Legends also state that the Syamantak Mani or Philosophers stone is hidden inside Shiva Linga in the temple.
The legends associate the ability to produce gold with the stone. It is supposedly also the stone that creates a magnetic field around itself which keeps the Linga floating above the ground. The temple is also built at the junction of three great mythological rivers — Saraswati, Hiranya, and Kapila which is collectively known as the Prabhas Patan. All these instances add to the religious significance of the temple.
Information:
The temple opens its gate at 6:00 AM and closes the doors at 10:00 PM. It is accessible to all and there is no entry fee to be paid. The temple remains open to the devotees all around the year but the best time to visit is said to be during the colder months of October to February.
The temple can be reached easily as it is located in a well-populated area. If you are traveling by air then the nearest airport is Diu which is 85 km away from the temple. If you are traveling by rail then you can consider the Somnath railway station. There are several buses and cabs that can take you to the temple too.
Puja and Rituals:
There are several pujas and rituals that are held at the Somnath Temple. On a daily basis, one can witness the different aartis. The morning aarti is done at 7:00 AM, followed by an afternoon aarti at 12:00 PM, and closing with the evening aarti at 7:00 PM. Here is a list of pujas that are performed at the temple.
Homatmak Atirudra: This ritual is considered to be the most sacred yajna out of all the Mahayagnas. This yajna is supposed to bring peace to the life of the devotee and wash away all their sins.
Homatmak Maharudra: The puja mainly includes the recitation of Rudras by 56 highly learned Vedic Pandits.
Homatmak Lagurudra: This puja is meant to remove any evil effects of planets in the horoscope and bring health and wealth to the devotee.
Savalaksha Samput Mahamrityunjaya Jaap: This puja is believed to increase the longevity of the person.
Other pujas that are performed at this temple include Savalaksha Bilva Pooja, Gangajal Abhishek, Mahadugdh Abhishek, Kalsarpa Yog Nivaran Vidhi, Shivpuran Path, and Navagraha Jaap.
Festivals:
Somnath temple is a hub of festivals. Here are some of the most important ones:
Sawan: The month of Sawan is considered to be holy to Lord Shiva. It is the fifth month of the Hindu calendar and celebrations are packed in this month due to its high spiritual value.
Mahashivratri: It is the day when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati. The temple celebrates this day in late February to early March.
Golokdham Utsav: More popularly known as Janmashtami, this is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna.
Kartik Purnima Fair: It is a fair that lasts 5 days. People come from all over the country to participate.
Somnath Sthapana Divas: This is the foundation day of the temple. Every year it is celebrated on the 11th of May.
